


Swallow You Whole

by merryfortune



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Implied Autistic Character, Indirect Kiss, Post canon, Resolved Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-21
Updated: 2019-11-21
Packaged: 2021-02-18 06:21:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21506557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merryfortune/pseuds/merryfortune
Summary: Gloria was like a Normal Type Pokemon. She couldn't be fazed and honestly, that's what Allister liked about her.
Relationships: Onion | Allister/Yuuri | Gloria
Comments: 15
Kudos: 129





	Swallow You Whole

Gloria was difficult – no, impossible – to faze.

As a Ghost Type specialist, Allister couldn’t help but liken Gloria to a Normal Type Pokémon. They were untouchable with Ghost Type moves after all and so, Allister had a budding fondness for Gloria and, to a certain extent, the Greedent that she had used to take down his prized Gengar time and time again.

It was that exact trait of hers, that imperviously positive disposition, so calm and bright eyed, was what Allister liked about her.

Too many people were frightened by him. They found him creepy, eerie, sometimes even a little freaky. People were unsettled by him but to be fair, people unsettled him. It was all too much pressure and it damped his spirits to say the least. Inversely, Allister found people to be creepy, eerie, and sometimes a little bit freaky too but not in the way that his beloved Ghost Type Pokémon were. They were comfortingly so since he was more like the dead than the living, in his sheepish opinion.

It was this fear of people which dominated his life. It broke him down and cut him up inside. That’s why he hid his face and honestly, the gloves which were a part of the Gym Leader uniform were also helpful in Allister’s goal of minimizing contact with other people.

But Gloria bypassed that. Her handshake was firm but not too firm; vaguely ladylike in a way that only a tomboy could be ladylike. There was also a shine in her eyes which attracted Allister to her like a Mothim to a candle’s flame. She had this aura about her, one which Allister couldn’t pick apart into spectrum colours. He didn’t think that he wanted to. The silvery, perhaps more grey, colour that he associated with her, with her soul, was far prettier than most other colours, especially the warm toned ones like red, yellow, and orange.

It was difficult to get some alone time with her, especially now that she was all famous and stuff thanks to being Champion and also the saviour of Galar in general. She was so strong. The strongest Trainer that Allister had ever faced in his, admittedly somewhat short, career. Even whilst she was still slogging through the Gym Challenges and Missions, Gloria had mustered up quite a following; though, one nowhere near as passionate as Team Yell unto Marnie. That had been a difficult battle, her love of Dark Types, notwithstanding. It was all those people who had come to cheer her on which had really put him through the wringer. So, it wasn’t really a battle which Allister reflected well on in hindsight, even now the sounds of all those extra trumpets and whatnot got his nerves.

Unlike his battle with Gloria. It had been, well, glorious. It had come down to the wire, but her Greedent’s Max Darkness was more than enough to surpass his Gigantamax Gengar. It had been an exhilarating battle, Allister had to take every opportunity as they came, and Gloria left little unaccounted for. And that had only been during their battle for his Gym Badge. Their match during the Championships had been even more spectacular. Again, that Greedent of hers taking the win, most admirably, from his Gigantamax Gengar.

And here it was again, trailing after her as she entered his Gym. His heart fluttered like insect wings when he had gotten the notification from one of his staff members that the Champion had strolled up into his Gym with purposes unclear; purposes which fell to Allister to divine. Something which he was, for once, a little bit happy to do.

Fidgeting with his sleeves, Allister walked down the purple carpet which striped through his domain. Gloria came to a halt and they met halfway. Her Greedent finally caught up with her and seemed a little bit wary of Allister as it hid behind her legs, its little paws curled around her calves.

Allister hoped that he didn’t seem like he was staring. He was quite certain with his face disguised and with his exaggeratedly low centre of gravity, it wouldn’t be obvious, but Gloria had keen eyes.

“So, um, t-to what do I… owe the p-pleasure, Gloria…?” he asked.

“I just wanted to know how that Dusknoir I defeated a little while back. Is he goin’ good an’ fine?”

Allister jumped. What a sweet girl!

He smiled underneath his mask, nodding. “…Mm, real well…”

“Glad to hear it.” Gloria said and she snapped her fingers. Her Rotom Phone floated out from her backpack and she checked the time. “Well, it took me less time to get here than I thought and there were no Dynamax Pokemon up at Ballonlea Town’s Gym and I started from Circhester Town, worked my way westward an’ now I’m here. And, um, bored.”

Allister took a moment to process Gloria’s rambling. Inside of him, it was like a light switch had been flicked. Although, only briefly. Doom and gloom and darkness was more Allister’s speed and there was plenty of hopeful good in that.

“…Bored, huh…” Allister murmured.

“Yep. Bored.” Gloria confirmed.

“Gree, gree.” her Greedent piped up, shyly coming out from behind her to chime in with its agreement too.

“We… We could, um…. Battle. If you… like…” Allister shyly suggested.

Gloria clasped her hands together excitably. “An exhibition match?” she gasped. “That sounds wonderful, Allister. Is right now good?” Gloria then laughed. “Once upon a time, that was the question I always got asked, now the shoe’s on the other foot, wouldn’t you say?”

A smile expanded across her face and it made Allister feel wriggly on the inside. Like a dual type Dark/Ghost Pokemon getting hit with a Dazzling Gleam. He fidgeted some more with his sleeves. Her sense of humour was quirky. He liked it.

“Yes… please… Thank you… very much.” Allister murmured, his voice a little louder than usual.

“Epic.” Gloria grinned.

“Gree, Greedent!” her Greedent cooed beside her, putting on airs of competitive courage.

They took the pitch thereafter. News of the exhibition spread quick and fast like influenza. It made Allister nervous. He had heard in other regions, battles between Gym Leaders and their Challengers, even if they were Champions, were far more private affairs. That sounded like it would be more to Allister’s pace, but he had to admit. He kind of wanted to have another battle against Gloria. So, he took the reins of his nervousness and through the holes in his mask, he stared down the pristine pitch of crunchy, green grass contrary to the dirt outside.

Gloria looked a picture in her white uniform. It was, perhaps, a little too bright though. She took good care of it as it was her pride and joy as Champion but, in Allister’s humble opinion, it would look better a little grey, with a little din. The Normal Typing was more commonly associated with an off white rather than a pure white, after all, and he still very much saw her in tandem with her beloved little Greedent; a Pokémon she didn’t invoke, first off.

She must be saving it for later, Allister thought to himself as he tossed out his own Pokémon, Runerigus. He liked the sparkly, purplish lights the PokeBall emitted when his own partner took to the pitch. Dwelling on them eased the harsher lights pouring down from above. The pinks and reds and yellows were hard on his eyes but he Gloria and her partner Pokémon looked beautiful all lit up in them on the other side of the pitch.

From there, both sides had at it. Once more, it was a fantastic back and forth which had Allister on his toes, heart pounding with excitement, and best of all, drinking in the smiles and energy which Gloria exuded opposite him. The way she cheered on her partner Pokemon was so endearing. She was so openly cheerful, even when they missed an attack or worse yet, were fainted. even the Champion’s Pokémon weren’t immune to exhaustion, or poor risk evaluation from their Trainer, and Allister certainly wasn’t immune to letting his destructive side rampage through the stadium. Allister might have something of a crush on Gloria, but he didn’t wear the numbers 291 on his clothes for nothing.

The battle was edging on an hour now and they were both down to their last PokeBall each. Allister’s heart pounded. It was time. Not only was it time for Gengar and all the blasting fun which came with using his ace, especially to its full ability, but it was time for Gloria’s Greedent to make its appearance as well. She hadn’t used it the whole battle and now, as both PokeBalls were tossed out with the intent to Dynamax reeking from them both.

“I know you can do it! I’m count on you, Greedent!” Gloria’s voice rang out through the stadium, over the ordinance from all their fans and more.

Their Pokémon came out from swirls of red and silver. Landing on the grass with a thud and a float respectively, Greedent and Gengar both cried out from in front of their Trainers. An impassioned exchange and in it, something caught Allister’s attention as he drowned out the audience, the grandstands, all the drones and more. Three things. There were superstitions about things which come in threes. Some foretold it as a good omen and others foretold it as a bad omen. It didn’t matter much to Allister either way. All that he cared about it was that it was interesting and just that little bit out of the ordinary. He liked that a lot.

But Allister didn’t have the time to ponder such charming things as he had a match to win.

Though, he didn’t have time to ponder other charming things but as they battled, other thoughts drifted into his head as well.

“Use Swallow!” Gloria called out and she struck a decisive pose.

It was a bit like that, Allister thought as Gloria’s Greedent followed through on its direction.

The Dynamax effect that they had used over both their Pokémon respectively had worn off a few turns ago, now but Allister was still thinking about it, using those moments to continue through in this battle. Greedent had gnashed its fangs against his Gengar repeatedly and his Gengar had tried to lash its tongue back but as Greedent restored its health, all Allister could think about was how he had run out of Max Potions.

“Use Hypnosis!” Allister yelled.

If he could just have Gloria’s Greedent fall asleep, he could easily follow through with some free turns to get some damage happening again with Venoshock. Hope bubbled up inside of him and his hands, hidden in his sleeves, curled in and became fists. He rocked up and down on the heel of his foot as he watched his Gengar attempt to hypnotise Gloria’s Greedent.

The swirling bangles of light were promptly discarded. Greedent stridently saw through the attempted illusion. Its eyes were keen and sharp. Gloria yelped and bounced up and down in delight. It was adorable so Allister couldn’t be too mad, but he was a little bit.

“Now’s your chance, use Assurance, Greedent!” Gloria yelled.

“D-Dodge it, Gengar!” Allister replied, as full throttled as his voice could go.

And from there, there was little to be done. Greedent got the hit that Gengar had missed. Greedent pounded on Gengar with paws made of darkness and robbed Gengar of what little health that it had left. Gengar attempted to evade the attack but got unlucky in such a try. Gengar promptly fainted, having been hit so hard with such chubby little paws as it had been.

With no other choice, Allister recalled his Gengar. He clutched onto its PokeBall in his hands, fingers cradling over it, the ball in his palm. He smiled, almost blushing, even out of breath, beneath his mask. His eyes flashed.

“Th-Thank you, Champion Gloria… for another, um, exhilarating match.” Allister mumbled.

“It was ace, Allister!” Gloria said, arm thrusting through the air as she hopped on one foot in cheer.

The two Trainers came forward and into the inner circle printed on the pitch’s grass. They stood opposite each other and shook hands. Glove to glove and rather softly. Allister stared at Gloria’s feet, her white and red high tops, before glancing up at her. She still had that shine. Maybe she even shone brighter than before. It was more than enough to purge Allister and hit all his weak spots.

His stomach squirmed. It had from the moment when he had shaken her hand after his very first loss to her. Gloria, no, Champion Gloria, was easily the strongest Trainer he had ever met, and she did not revel in that fact. She was humble but she smiled. A smile which got bigger and bigger, even open mouthed.

“Crumbs…” Allister murmured, wanting to laugh but feeling awkward. “Y-You’re right… It really was ace.”

They basked in the rumbling applause of the stadium for just that little bit longer, hands slipping away from their shake. Then, they happily returned indoors, back to where it was nice and cool and best of all, quiet. Gloria went through her backpack and opened a bottle of Fresh Water for herself. Her Team, and Allister’s, were healed by the League Staff waiting for them.

They ended up sitting next to each other on the bench and Allister thought to himself, now would be a good time to resume that thinking he had been doing earlier. Gloria didn’t seem to the mind silence as she drank from her bottle. Allister, meanwhile, twiddled his thumbs and fidgeted his legs, liking how the frills on his socks bounced as he did so.

It really was enough to Swallow anyone whole, he thought.

The way that his Gengar and her Greedent had battled, the back forth of Bite and Stockpile and Swallow and Spit Up all against that gigantic, lashing tongue. It was enough to swallow anyone whole. Allister was certain. He wanted to be swallowed whole…

Gloria had a certain magnitude about her, and it was one that Allister was certain that he could be swallowed whole by. It seemed that everyone was swallowed whole by it judging by the swathes of her fans and from the respect that she garnered from all sorts of Trainers.

It was humble and calm. She really wasn’t the type to be fazed and even now, sharing the platitude of silence after that match, she was being polite to Allister in ways that his own staff weren’t always. He didn’t like to talk much, after all. Didn’t like to be seen without his mask and someone had gone and taken photos of him without it; the rumours are made up Allister knows for sure because his own Ghost Type kin would never disrespect his needs like that.

He glanced at Gloria. He saw drops of water on her lips. He swallowed. “Um, I really like you…. Gloria…” he murmured and set down his hand on the bench.

“I like you too, Allister. I’m pleased to hear that.” Gloria said.

Allister’s heart pounded. He didn’t know if Gloria meant it in the way that he meant it as he meant it as something of an infatuation but being acknowledged felt nice.

“Do you want to have a drink?” Gloria asked.

“Yes please…” Allister quietly replied.

“I can go fetch you a straw if you like. “Gloria added after what appeared to be a moment of recollection.

Allister shook his head. “Mm, it’s alright.”

Shyly, nervously, Allister removed his mask and Gloria handed over her bottle of water. The water tasted quite strongly of minerals, but it was nice. Even nicer still, Gloria looked away from his bare face but there was still a pleased quirk to her lips. So, maybe, just maybe, Gloria liked him the way that he liked her. Either way, Allister swallowed the water and just enjoyed the moment under fluorescent lights.

**Author's Note:**

> Do these two have a ship name? If not, I'm coining Allegoryshipping for these two since the smush I've been using (AlliGlori) is phonetically similar to 'Allegory'.


End file.
